A Comparative Study of the Nutrient Composition of Tree-Ripened versus Rack-Ripened Ackees (Blighia sapida).

Ackee canners often harvest mature fruits that are placed on sun racks to complete ripening (indicated by podopening). It is unknown whether the nutrient composition of rack-ripened fruits differs from those completely ripened on trees. This study compares proximate, mineral and fatty acid composition of raw, mature arils of tree-ripened and rackripened fruits. Proximate and mineral compositions were determined, using standard methods, for composite samples of tree-ripened fruits collected from eleven different trees, and for ackees allowed to rack-ripen in the sun over three days. Fatty acid profiles were established by GC-MS analysis of the trans-methylated ackee oils. It was found that rack-ripened ackees had a higher percentage crude fat and crude protein, but lower moisture levels than the tree-ripened ackees (p < 0.05). Mineral contents were similar. Higher quantities of oleic acid and linoleic acid (p < 0.05) were found in the oils of tree-ripened fruits, while a higher proportion of stearic acid (p < 0.05) was present in rack-ripened fruits. In conclusion, the nutritional profiles of tree-ripened and rack-ripened ackees were generally similar. Higher quantities of crude fat and crude protein in rack-ripened ackees were probably a direct consequence of lower residual moisture in the said ackees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]